1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic apparatus represented by a personal computer for example.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, personal computers (hereinafter sometimes referred to as “PC”) have been in widespread use not only in offices but also at homes. As one type of personal computers, there have been widely known notebook personal computers (hereinafter referred to as “notebook PC”) each composed of: a main unit having a keyboard on the top surface; and a display unit openable and closable with respect to the main unit and having a display screen. The display unit is opened to stand relative to the main unit when in use and is folded to lie on the keyboard when not in use.
Also, plate-like tablet personal computers (hereinafter referred to as “tablet PC”) having a display screen on the top surface have emerged in recent years. A user enters an instruction into this type of PC by bringing a stylus closer to a position on the display screen or touching the position with the stylus so as to make the tablet PC recognize the position.
Also, another type of electronic apparatus capable of operating both as a notebook PC and a tablet PC have come along recently. This type of apparatus has a main unit and a display unit which are connected via a two-axis connection section that supports the main unit and the display unit in such a manner that they can be opened/closed and rotated.
General electronic apparatus such as personal computers are desired to be smaller in size. Particularly, the above-mentioned notebook PCs, tablet PCs and the like are desired to be smaller and thinner because they need to be portable. Lately, as the notebook PCs have become more and more multifunctional, performance of notebook PCs has almost reached the high level comparable to that of desktop PCs. Therefore, it is desired to realize a smaller and thinner apparatus that also maintains high operability while keeping with the trend toward multifunction.
Notebook PCs are usually so configured as to operate on a battery as they need to be portable. A battery requires a considerably large space as compared to other components in a notebook PC, which is a large obstacle to reduction in size of the notebook PC. With the recent functional enhancement, power consumption has also increased, which requires a notebook PC to have a larger battery. In addition, personal computers are usually equipped with an internal or external speaker. Since quality of sound is also an important factor in realizing a high-performance notebook PC, it is required to incorporate a considerably large speaker in a notebook PC, which is also a large obstacle to reduction in size of the notebook PC.
Not only notebook PCs but also various types of devices, such as game machines, DVD recorders and players, hard-disk recorders are desired to be smaller and thinner for the purpose of saving space of an installation site.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003-87378 aims to provide a notebook PC excellent in sound effects by appropriately fixing a speaker, and proposes to incorporate a speaker in a hinge unit that connects a main unit to a display unit in a rotatable manner. Also, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-182784 proposes a notebook PC having a similar configuration. Further, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2000-148298 proposes the placement of a speaker, and Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003-347759 proposes an auxiliary case incorporating a battery.
In order to reduce the size of electronic apparatus such as notebook PC, each component and unit forming an electronic apparatus need to be made smaller. In addition, how to combine components or units in view of placement is also important. All of the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application Publications propose the placement of a single component or unit such as a battery or speaker and do not propose size reduction by improving combinations of components or units. Merely reducing the size is not enough and operability as well as design must be taken into consideration.